Migrate from M1 mini to a different M1 mini

[nemofish]

I have just purchased a new M1 mini as my 8GB machine isn't enough.

I want to benefit from a clean install and will happily reinstall the apps I need manually; however I'd really like my 40GB worth of mail transferred over and if I am correct the migration assistant is an "all or nothing" option only.

Is this still the case? If so is there another way to do this?

 

[meson]

Unless you are hosting your email directly or have some unusual email settings, your email is a local mirror of what is located on your email provider's server. Everything should be synced and downloaded after you log in on your new mini (give it some time to complete the sync, maybe hours, maybe a day).

If all else fails, you can copy over the contents of your Mail data. The data is located in your home directory Library.
Open a Finder Window.
Click Go in the Menu Bar.
Hold down the Option Key (You will see Library pop up in the list).
While holding the Option Key, Click on Library.
Locate the Mail folder.
Transfer the contents from one machine to the other.

 

[nemofish]

Unless you are hosting your email directly or have some unusual email settings, your email is a local mirror of what is located on your email provider's server. Everything should be synced and downloaded after you log in on your new mini (give it some time to complete the sync, maybe hours, maybe a day).

If all else fails, you can copy over the contents of your Mail data. The data is located in your home directory Library.
Open a Finder Window.
Click Go in the Menu Bar.
Hold down the Option Key (You will see Library pop up in the list).
While holding the Option Key, Click on Library.
Locate the Mail folder.
Transfer the contents from one machine to the other.

My mail inbox / sent items are all IMAP but most of my historic mail is moved to local folders - one folder for each client for example.

I have had issues manually moving in the past but I guess that is the only way.

:/

 

[chabig]

I want to benefit from a clean install

There is no benefit to a clean install. Your new machine is already "clean". Just use Migration Assistant to copy your data over and save the headache.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I am correct the migration assistant is an "all or nothing" option only.

No.

You cannot select just Mail data. However, you can restrict the transfer to your user account:

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant - Apple Support

Use Migration Assistant to copy your files from another computer.

support.apple.com

(Look at the screenshot near the bottom.)

 

[MajorFubar]

There is no benefit to a clean install. Your new machine is already "clean". Just use Migration Assistant to copy your data over and save the headache.

^^^ this.

 

[nemofish]

There is no benefit to a clean install. Your new machine is already "clean". Just use Migration Assistant to copy your data over and save the headache.

I figured this would remove all the unnecessary files in my Library folder left over from apps I haven't used? My current Mini is woefully slowed down since I brought ti on release day.

 

[chabig]

I figured this would remove all the unnecessary files in my Library folder left over from apps I haven't used?

It will, but those files don't cause any harm, and certainly don't affect your machine's performance. If you can remember the names of the apps you deleted, it's pretty easy to do a search of your Library folder and delete the folders and files that belong to those apps. But they are harmless just sitting there.

 

[FNH15]

I have just purchased a new M1 mini as my 8GB machine isn't enough.

I want to benefit from a clean install and will happily reinstall the apps I need manually; however I'd really like my 40GB worth of mail transferred over and if I am correct the migration assistant is an "all or nothing" option only.

Is this still the case? If so is there another way to do this?

If all you’re interested in is your Mail data, you can copy your mail database over to your new machine - it’s in ~Library/Mail

Copy that folder over to your new machine and you should be all set. This is assuming you’re running Monterey on both machines as the databases change with OS releases.

 

[Fishrrman]

Do you have a spare external USB drive available?
One that is large enough as the internal drive on the old Mini?

If so, I'd suggest you use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper to create a cloned backup onto the external drive.

BOTH these apps are FREE to download and use for 30 days.
"Doing things my way" will cost you nothing.

THE REASON for a cloned backup and NOT a time machine backup:
Now, the drive is mountable in the finder, just like any other drive.
It will work with setup assistant if you want to use it that way...
... BUT... it will also work beautifully if you wish to do a "manual migration", and "pick and choose" what gets migrated over.

As far as the emails go...
You can either "re-import" them to the new Mini
or...
Leave them on the backup.

Really, I admit I'm gettin' old, but... why the heck would anyone NEED 40 gigabytes of old emails on their computer?
I can see the possibility if one was running a business, and needed to maintain a database of customers (etc.), but... for any other reason?

Seems like a waste of space to me.

I'd leave them on the backup drive as "an archive".
Of course, you'd want that archive backed up, also.

 

[MacCheetah3]

I figured this would remove all the unnecessary files in my Library folder left over from apps I haven't used?

It will, but those files don't cause any harm, and certainly don't affect your machine's performance. If you can remember the names of the apps you deleted, it's pretty easy to do a search of your Library folder and delete the folders and files that belong to those apps. But they are harmless just sitting there.

This is my “spring cleaning” method.

@nemofish If you go this route, you will mainly review the contents of your user’s Library -> Application Support (~/Library/Application Support) and Preferences (~/Library/Preferences) folders. The folder/file names are typically either the app or developer/producer/company name. If you do not recognize something, you can simply leave it (as @chabig states).

Otherwise, some members here have success and recommend automated cleaning apps:

best app unistaller?

which is your favorite app unistaller, im using appcleaner but i see other apps with better reviews lately, not sure if its worth it to change.

forums.macrumors.com

Unless you are hosting your email directly or have some unusual email settings, your email is a local mirror of what is located on your email provider's server. Everything should be synced and downloaded after you log in on your new mini (give it some time to complete the sync, maybe hours, maybe a day).

If all else fails, you can copy over the contents of your Mail data. The data is located in your home directory Library.
Open a Finder Window.
Click Go in the Menu Bar.
Hold down the Option Key (You will see Library pop up in the list).
While holding the Option Key, Click on Library.
Locate the Mail folder.
Transfer the contents from one machine to the other.

If all you’re interested in is your Mail data, you can copy your mail database over to your new machine - it’s in ~Library/Mail

Copy that folder over to your new machine and you should be all set. This is assuming you’re running Monterey on both machines as the databases change with OS releases.

My mail inbox / sent items are all IMAP but most of my historic mail is moved to local folders - one folder for each client for example.

I have had issues manually moving in the past but I guess that is the only way.

:/

Apple Mail has export and import functionality:

Import or export mailboxes in Mail on Mac

Use Mail on your Mac to import emails and mailboxes in Apple Mail or mbox format and to export mailboxes in mbox format.

support.apple.com

 

[Wando64]

My mail inbox / sent items are all IMAP but most of my historic mail is moved to local folders - one folder for each client for example.

I have had issues manually moving in the past but I guess that is the only way.

:/

What do you mean with “local folders”?
When I create a folder with the Apple email client it is created in the same mailbox that is linked, and if I check the emails online, wherever they are hosted, I see all of the folders that I have created locally on my Mac mail client.

 

[glenthompson]

I think it's time to rethink using email as a filing system. I only use it for work in progress. Anything I need to save gets exported as a PDF and moved into my document filing system. Much easier to backup and move to other machines.

If this is for a business, I suggest you check with your legal advisor regarding document retention policies.

 

[jdb8167]

My mail inbox / sent items are all IMAP but most of my historic mail is moved to local folders - one folder for each client for example.

I have had issues manually moving in the past but I guess that is the only way.

:/

You can export to a mbox file and then import on the new mini.

It’s also possible to upload your local mail back to the IMAP server if you have the space and then download again on your new mini.